For further information on brit milah, brit habat and/or baby naming, please contact the synagogue on 9328 7833 or info@emanuel.org.au

Brit Milah

At the age of eight days every male among you throughout the generations shall be circumcised. Genesis 17:12

Brit (covenant) milah (of circumcision) signifies the covenant between God and the Jews. While there continues to be discussion about the risks and benefits of circumcision, ultimately, as Jews, we recognise that circumcision is the sign of the covenant. The brit milah is traditionally held as early as possible in the eighth day, signifying the parents’ eagerness to bring their child to the convenant.

It is customary to appoint a kvater (man) and a kvaterin (woman) whose role is to bring the child into the room for the circumcision. These people become the child’s godparents, who carry the responsibility of nurturing, educating and morally guiding the child throughout his life. The sandek holds the child during the brit. Often this honour is given to a grandparent or great grandparent.

The brit is customarily performed in the home, but can also be done in hospital or a doctor’s rooms. The following ritual items are required:
• A place for the brit to take place (a table or chair)
• A pillow or cushion for the child to lie on and be carried into the room upon
• An empty chair designated for Elijah, present at a brit milah to protect the child
• A Kiddush cup with wine (usually provided by the rabbi or mohel)

The ceremony is simple and brief. It is customary, but not required by Halakha (Jewish Law), to have a minyan of ten people present. The child is brought into the room, blessings are said, the circumcision is performed and the child is given a few drops of wine. The child’s Hebrew name is given with the blessing of the wine.

Brit HaBat

When a girl is born, there are many options available to welcome her into the world and bring her into the covenant. While traditionally a service only found among women in Sephardic communities, the demand for ceremonies to welcome daughters has grown in contemporary congregations. The ceremony can be held in the home, the synagogue or a venue of the parents’ choice. Many of the blessings and prayers from the brit milah can be adapted to be suitable for a girl. Our rabbis will be happy to work with you to help make this a meaningful ceremony for you and your family. 

Baby Naming

A fair name is better than a precious balm. Ecclesiastes 7:1

Names in Jewish tradition hold great significance. In the past, children were given a single name, but over time, this has changed and in many communities they are given a name for every day, while their ‘Hebrew name’ is just kept for ritual purposes. Traditions vary as to the source of the name. Sephardic Jews traditionally name children after a living relative, while Ashkenazic Jews do not. More recent practices include the use of modern Israeli names, Hebrew names that have a similar sound or meaning to the child’s everyday name, or a name from the Tanach.

There is a ceremony for the giving of a Hebrew name which is a public way of welcoming the baby and providing the opportunity to give him or her a blessing. For a boy, this is typically part of the brit milah, while for a girl, it would be part of the covenant ceremony. At Emanuel Synagogue, we have a short ceremony which we conduct during the congregational Shabbat services on a Friday evening or Saturday morning. It is traditional to name a boy on the eighth day after birth and a girl within the first month.

For further information on brit milah, brit habat and/or baby naming, please contact the synagogue on 9328 7833 or info@emanuel.org.au